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A picture book that's ideal for beginning readers, Chicken Big is an amusing retake on "Chicken Little" (aka "Henny Penny") You know, the fable where a not-too-bright chicken (are there any other kind?) panics when an acorn falls on her head and she mistakenly believes the world is coming to an end (hmmm, why does the Tea Party suddenly spring to mind)?
In the new version by Keith Graves, the hero of the story is not in the least bit stupid. In fact, he's quite bright. Oh, and one other thing. He's big. Humongous, really. The story starts with the birth of our hero as he pops out of his giant shell. The other chickens in the coop are flummoxed and agree that he can't be a chicken. Because of his size, he must really be an elephant. The big guy proves them wrong the next day when an acorn falls on the smallest chick. She assumes the sky is falling, causing the others to run around like chickens without their heads. The big chick reassures them it was only an acorn and pops it into his mouth. The chickens regroup and conclude he's a squirrel.
And so it goes. The big chick continues to help out his relatives and they continue to misidentify him. Then the henhouse is robbed of its eggs. Once again it's Chicken Big to the rescue. Thanks to his height, he sees the fox making off with the eggs and reclaims them. Finally, the chickens accept him as one of their own and make room for him in the coop.
This book is laugh-aloud funny. The comic asides alone are worth the price of admission. After the smallest chicken mistakes Chicken Big for an elephant, we're informed in parentheses that "She was not the sharpest beak in the flock." Then there's the sign "No Elephants Allowed" outside the coop. With its wide array of fonts, speech bubbles, and juxtaposition of multiples panels alongside full-page illustrations, Chicken Big incorporates the elements of comic books to great effect.
The text has a straight-forward syntax, and the vocabulary--with the exception of the word humongous--shouldn't pose a problem for proficient beginning readers. However, I recommend introducing or rereading the original "Chicken Little" first so that kids can fully appreciate the humor. My favorite version is Henny Penny by Paul Galdone.
Chicken Big by Keith Graves Chronicle Books, 32 pages Published: 2010
0 Comments on Chicken Big as of 1/31/2011 10:13:00 AM
Frank is a monster who wants to dance...so he gets all dressed up, sticks some ants in his pants and heads to the theater! Onstage Frank dances up a storm, and the audience loves it...until things start to go horribly wrong. But nothing's going to stop Frank, and even when the audience leaves he's still dancing and having a grand old time.
This hilarious and adorable rhyming book is a ton of fun, with delightfully gross bits to thrill young monster enthusiasts. Grab a copy and cheer Frank on!
S.
1 Comments on Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves, last added: 1/28/2010
Even a monster like Frankenstein wants to dance. This ghoulish creature dreams of the spotlight and crashes the theatre to perform. Frank steals the show- that is, until he begins to come undone. "And after his arm/ fell out of his sleeve,/ the horrified audience/ started to leave." The illustrations, slightly gross, are what add to this spooktacular story. After all, what young reader won't enjoy Frank's brain flopping out of his skull, dripping flies and worms?
0 Comments on Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance as of 10/29/2008 9:13:00 AM
J. Patrick Lewis and Keith Graves bring together short snappy poems, wacky illustrations, and world records in The World's Greatest: Poems. This delightful and--dare I say it--fun volume of verse pays homage to those Guinness-like records children love so much, with poems and colorful illustrations devoted to things like "The Kookiest Hat" and "The Most Plates Spinning."
It's clear that J. Patrick Lewis understands children based on his selection of poem topics which range from silly ("The Biggest Potato") to cool ("The Highest Air on a Skateboard") to yuck ("The Most Live Scorpions Eaten by a Human"). Lewis's verse complements his subjects beautifully, whether the subject is wistful ("The Longest Time a Message Was in a Bottle at Sea") or silly (The Dumbest Dinosaur"). Keith Graves's illustrations are humorous, colorful, and kid friendly.
The World's Greatest: Poems is best suited for children ages five to eleven when they are at the height of their bragging prowess and when the world's greatest everything most interests them.
---------------------- Today's Poetry Friday entry is a poem from The World's Greatest: Poems, which is posted here with J. Patrick Lewis's permission:
"The Tallest Roller Coaster"
You're swerving north, You're curving south, Your stomach sits Inside your mouth.
You hold your breath, You lose your nerve, You're scared to death At every curve.
You're feeling very Sick, but then You tell your Dad, "Let's go again!"
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Ants in my pants are the only way I'd dance, so it sounds like something I could relate to... ;)